NDIS · Guide
How to use your NDIS plan for speech therapy in Sydney
You can use your NDIS plan for speech therapy when your plan has Improved Daily Living funding and a communication goal. I am Shine, a Certified Practising Speech Pathologist based in Arncliffe, and here is how it works, step by step, from checking your plan to your first session.
- Self-managed and plan-managed
- No referral needed
- Home, school or telehealth
Does my NDIS plan cover speech therapy?
Your plan covers speech therapy when two things are true. First, there is funding in Capacity Building, under Improved Daily Living. This budget pays for supports that build skills and independence. Second, your plan has a goal that speech therapy helps with.
The NDIS lists language and communication as a therapy area, including conversation and social skills. Goals I work on with participants include:
- understanding and following instructions at home or school
- joining in conversations and play with other children
- being understood by family, teachers and friends
- using a communication device or picture system (AAC, which means any tool that helps a person communicate without speech)
- communicating needs and choices as an adult after a stroke or brain injury
A broad goal, such as “I want to be more independent”, can still fit. Speech therapy supports that goal when communication is part of what makes independence hard.
Which kind of plan management lets me choose my speech pathologist?
How your plan is managed decides which providers you can use. The NDIS guide to working with providers sets out the rules:
- Self-managed: you pay providers and claim the money back through myNDIS. You can choose any provider, registered or not.
- Plan-managed: a plan manager pays providers for you. You can choose unregistered providers when your plan manager is registered.
- NDIA-managed: the agency pays providers directly. You must use a registered provider.
I am not NDIS registered, so I work with self-managed and plan-managed participants. If you are NDIA-managed and would like to work with me, you can ask the NDIS about changing how your plan is managed at your next check-in or plan reassessment.
What do I need before the first session?
Three things:
- Your plan goals. Send me the goals you want speech therapy to help with.
- A service agreement. This is a short, plain-English document that lists the rate, session length, where we meet and the cancellation policy. You receive it before we start.
- Consent. A consent form so I can share reports with your plan manager, support coordinator or school.
You do not need a referral from a doctor.
What happens in the first few weeks?
Discovery call. A free 15-minute call to talk about goals and check the fit.
Assessment. One or two sessions of standard tests, watching how you or your child communicate day to day, and a conversation with the family or carers. I then write a report that explains what I found in plain language.
Therapy plan. We agree on goals, how often we meet and where. I come to your home, your child's school or preschool, or we meet by telehealth.
Regular sessions. After each session I send short progress notes, so your family and support coordinator always know what we worked on.
How is my NDIS funding claimed?
If you are plan-managed, I invoice your plan manager directly and they pay from your plan. If you are self-managed, I send the invoice to you and you claim it through myNDIS. The NDIS sets a price limit for speech pathology, and I charge at or below it, at the same rate for home, school and telehealth sessions.
How do I get the most out of my funding?
Therapy works best in the places you use communication every day. That is why I see clients at home, at school and in the community. A skill practised at the kitchen table or in the classroom is easier to use there tomorrow.
Family members and carers matter too. The NDIS can fund training for the people around you, so they can support you between sessions. I show parents, teachers and support workers simple ways to practise during daily routines, so progress continues on the days I am not there.
For bilingual families, I run sessions in English, Mandarin or both, so your child practises in the language they use at home. Read more about bilingual speech therapy in English and Mandarin.
What reports will I need for my plan reassessment?
Before your plan is reassessed, the NDIS will want evidence of progress. I write a progress report that sets out the goals, what changed, where things stand now and what I recommend next. It links therapy results back to your NDIS goals, so your planner or support coordinator can see how the funding was used.
Where do I start?
Book a free 15-minute discovery call. Tell me the goals in your plan and how it is managed, and I will tell you straight away whether I can help. You can read more about how I work with participants on my NDIS speech therapy page.
Related services
Back to all speech pathology services in Sydney.
Ready to get started?
No referral needed. Book a free 15-minute discovery call and we will work out whether an assessment makes sense.
